The Journey of Proper Healing
To a woman who felt all dried up on the inside, no verses brought life back into my bones more than those in Hosea 2. It’s this beautiful and dramatic portrayal of Israel’s journey from hardship to restoration. But it also parallels our own situations so powerfully.
Hosea 2:14-23 (ESV),
“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. And there I will give her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor [trouble] a door of hope. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.
And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more. And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish[f] the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down n safety. And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.
And in that day I will answer, declares the Lord, I will answer the heavens, and they shall answer the earth, and the earth shall answer the grain, the wine, and the oil, and they shall answer Jezreel, and I will sow her for myself in the land. And I will have mercy on No Mercy, and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’; and he shall say, ‘You are my God.’”
How Does God Heal?
Beginning in verse 14, there is this “wooing” of Israel where God wants to bring his children close to Him on a personal level. And then describes how, although we may currently be in a Valley of Achor (also known as “Valley of Trouble”), there is a door of hope in the future. Essentially, God wants to bring you close to Him and there in your valley of trouble and pain, show you there is this hope before you. That the trouble won’t last forever.
Further in verse 16, there is this transition between the levels of the relationship. Again noting a more personal level, God wants you to no longer see Him as just a master, but as a “Husband.” This reiterates affection towards His people.
We then see a key phrase mentioned three times in two verses, “I will betroth you.” When a phrase or word is mentioned multiple times in a short time, it means it’s very important to understand what’s being said. God wants to make sure we know the importance of His covenant and restorative love.
The chapter leaves us with a confirmation that He will show love to us, even if we may feel unloved. To a woman who felt really lonely and unloved after a heart-wrenching loss, nothing made me feel more comforted than those words.
In your grief and pain, coming face-to-face with the circumstances won’t be easy. But there can be great comfort for you in these words about love, redemption, and hope. Ground yourself with roots deep in this passage and allow God to draw you near to Him. Hold on to the belief there is a door of hope just ahead and no matter what, there is a God who deeply and passionately loves you.